The roar echoed again.
Not enough to intimidate them
But enough to remind them of the danger inside the cave.
They weren't safe.
Not yet.
"Move," Violet said firmly.
Alex nodded, forcing himself up despite the pain. Riolu immediately moved to his side, helping him keep balance, while Grovyle stayed alert, scanning the surroundings.
They didn't run this time.
They couldn't.
Instead, they walked fast, controlled, careful not to make unnecessary noise.
Step by step, they put more distance between themselves and the cave.
The forest slowly returned to normal.
The tension eased.
The sounds of wild Pokémon replaced the silence of the cave.
And eventually
They reached the camp.
The familiar sight of tents, small fires, and scattered trainers brought a strange sense of relief.
They had made it back.
Alive.
Alex barely made it a few steps into their area before sitting down heavily near the tent again.
This time, he didn't even try to hide it.
"…Yeah, now you can say something," he muttered.
Violet crossed her arms.
"Oh, I will. You're an idiot."
A pause.
"…But you're a lucky one."
She stepped closer and dropped her bag beside him.
"Don't move."
Alex sighed.
"Again with that."
"Shut up and take your shirt off."
"…You really like saying that."
"Do you want to bleed out or not?"
"…Fair."
Alex carefully removed his shirt, wincing as the fabric dragged across the wound.
Violet's expression hardened the moment she saw it again in proper light.
"…That's bad."
She didn't waste time.
She grabbed water and poured it directly over the wound.
Alex clenched his teeth but didn't make a sound.
"Good," Violet said. "You're learning."
She cleaned it properly, removing dirt and dried blood, then took out clean bandages and began wrapping them tightly around his torso.
Her hands were steady.
Experienced.
She tightened the bandage just enough to stop the bleeding without making it worse.
"Try not to open it again," she said.
"I'll try not to fight another Alpha Luxray," Alex replied dryly.
"…Try harder."
She finished and sat back slightly.
"There. You're patched up."
Alex exhaled slowly.
"…Thanks."
She didn't respond.
Instead, she reached for one of her Poké Balls.
"I caught something."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
She released it.
A flash of light appeared.
And then
The Sneasel stood there.
But something was… off.
Alex's eyes narrowed instantly.
"…Wait."
The Sneasel's fur had a different tone.
Its posture.
Its aura.
Not the same as the ones he knew.
"…That's not a normal Sneasel," Alex said.
Violet looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Alex leaned forward slightly, studying it.
"That's a Hisuian Sneasel."
Violet blinked.
"…A what?"
"Hisuian," Alex repeated. "An older regional variant. From ancient Sinnoh. Before the world changed."
He pointed slightly.
"Different typing. Different evolution line. It's not Dark Ice like normal Sneasel."
Violet looked back at it, more interested now.
"how do you know that?"
"books, if you actually read maybe you would get smarter violet"
violet would look at him a little annoyed now
"shut up, but it's rare isn't it?"
"Very," Alex confirmed. "And dangerous if trained right."
A small smirk appeared on Violet's face.
"…Good."
The Sneasel glanced between them, still cautious, but calmer now.
Alex leaned back slightly.
"Not bad," he said.
"Of course not," Violet replied.
A brief silence followed.
Then Violet stood up.
"I'm cooking."
She grabbed their supplies and moved toward the small fire area.
"Don't move," she added without looking back.
"I won't."
Alex watched her for a second, then reached for his bag.
Carefully, he pulled out the items.
The Water stone.
The Thunder Stone.
And the Dragon Fang.
He placed them together on a cloth beside him, away from dirt and damage.
Safe.
For now.
"…Worth it," he muttered quietly.
Around him, his Pokémon began to gather.
Riolu approached first, gently placing a paw on Alex's leg.
"I'm fine," Alex said.
Grovyle stood nearby, arms crossed, watching him carefully.
Larvesta moved closer, its warmth comforting.
Zorua stayed near the shadows but didn't look away.
Ceruledge stood behind them, silent as ever.
Even Gible, still tired, shifted slightly closer.
Alex looked at all of them.
"…Everyone okay?" he asked.
No serious injuries.
No major damage.
They had made it out.
Together.
"…Good," he said quietly.
Not far from them, Violet was already working.
The fire crackled softly as she prepared the food.
Weepinbell and Toxicroak stayed near her, while the newly caught Hisuian Sneasel watched carefully, learning, observing.
The night settled in slowly.
The danger of the cave felt distant now.
Not gone.
Never gone.
But distant enough.
Alex leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment.
Not sleeping.
Just resting.
As the firelight flickered across the camp, two groups moved in quiet harmony.
Alex and his team
Recovering.
Checking.
Enduring.
And Violet with hers
Cooking.
Preparing.
Adapting.
A quiet moment.
Before everything started again.